Fabulous Spring Term Plays Premiere In Goel
Courtesy of the Exeter Communications Department
By ERIN HAN, ELLEN JIN, and FORREST ZENG
In recent weeks, the Academy’s Goel Center for Theater and Dance hosted the debuts of multiple plays.
On May 4, the center hosted the first showings of Something in the Water, a staged reading of a musical co-written by Noah Barnes and Academy instructor Jerome Walker, followed by the first of three showings of Men on Boats, directed by Academy instructor Rob Richards.
Something in the Water is set in a small town called Lake Town inhabited by The Locals. When city dwellers, or Lakers, descend upon Lake Town for vacation, three locals—Andy, Marina, and Nicky, form a plan to scare off the Lakers by creating a fake monster. However, things take a turn for the worse, when the Locals realize something might be hiding in Lake Town beyond anyone’s control. The May 4 performance was a staged reading, along with music composed by co-writer Jerome Walker. The three Goel Center performances mark the play’s world premiere.
Theater Department Teaching Intern Elizabeth Calandra commented on the show’s first performance on May 4. “I was so happy with how many people attended our first show, and everyone seemed to really enjoy the performance. So I’m hoping that energy extends to our second weekend of shows.”
Upper and cast member Arianna Bocchino agreed. “Our first show went super well, because the audience gave everyone a lot of energy, which allowed for us to connect with each other on stage in new ways.”
Senior and technical director Sean Walker said, “It was surreal, performing it for the first time. That was the first time we had ever run the entire thing, and I was personally very nervous.”
Upper and cast member Evan Dierberg touched on the circumstances that come with the staged reading. “It’s been fun because we don’t have to go off script at any time. We always have the script for backup because it’s a staged reading. So we just get to make a lot of choices and we always have that to lean on.”
The play’s novelty certainly kept cast members on their toes. J. Walker described the timeline of writing, which moved forward concurrently with the rehearsal process. “We were rehearsing what we had as we were writing it, and so we began with the first few big numbers and then [moved onto] some of the smaller solo pieces. Each week there would just be a little bit of new material—a couple of new songs or something new for our cast to read and to try out.”
S. Walker said, “The multiple drafts created some interesting logistical problems. For example, the page numbers would get shifted whenever there was a new addition, so if I had a note on page 30, it wouldn’t be on the same page the next week.”
J. Walker emphasized the adaptability that came with the tight time frame. “We didn’t have the final version of the performance until April 22, which means that for our first show, which was on May 4, we had only two weeks of practice for that version.”
Additionally, since the play was still developing, actors played a role in the growth of their characters. Lower Olivia Pierre said, “Prepping for the show involved a lot of analysis, specifically because Something in the Water is a workshop. We had multiple sessions where the entire cast got together and discussed the script, and we talked a lot about how we viewed characters and their actions.”
She continued, “It was a very unique experience to hear the input of the entire cast in a more formal setting, and it was cool to see how our input had an impact on certain scenes and lines in the show.”
The student input allowed for a bigger connection to the audience. Dierberg described the humor in the show. “It’s kind of corny, but it’s just exploring humor through physicality. There’s a lot of Gen Z humor in it. There were a few students in attendance and they said they really liked it. ”
J. Walker noted the enthusiastic audience during the first performance. “Anytime there is a reaction from the audience, that feels like a big payoff. Obviously, if there is a particularly funny joke and the audience laughs at it, it’s a special moment,” he said. “But reactions can also arise from the opposite. Normally, when something serious happens, the audience goes quiet. But sometimes, the audience is engaged, and they might ooh or react to what is happening. That’s what happened in our second scene, when two of the characters have a big fight, and there was some hubbub and snapping in the audience. That’s always special as well.”
Building on the achievements of the first performance, the actors strive for perfection. Bocchino mentioned an aspect that the cast members could continue to aim for in the coming performances. “One thing we discussed in our following rehearsals that we’d like to improve is keeping up the fast pace of the dialogue throughout the show.”
Pierre described the success of the first show and anticipation for future performances. “It was awesome to see how everything came together so quickly, and everyone in the audience was very supportive. We had a nice opening night, and I’m excited to do it again next weekend.”
The play’s next showings are on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19 in the Goel Center Mainstage.
A week after Something in the Water’s first showing, the center debuted Men on Boats in three consecutive performances from May 10 to May 12. The play is described as a “true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition to chart the course of the Colorado River, performed by a cast of non-male actors who infuse America’s historic myths of male conquest with a sly blast of satire,” according to the Goel Center’s website.
Rehearsals took place daily, between 2:35 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the center. “It’s [been] pretty rigorous, I’d say,” said senior Ariana Thornton. “But [producing] a good show makes everything worth it.”
“During the first two weeks we read through the whole play, and did some work with getting into our characters,” specified senior Mav Murray. “Mr. Richards had these activities where we’d look at mirrors and put on masks, and sort of experiment with the idea of transforming into something else. Then, we slowly but surely got through the play and blocked out scenes.” They continued, “The last two weeks have mostly been dedicated to full run-throughs, and that’s ‘cause it’s really just a complicated play. Mechanistically, there’s a lot of props to worry about. There’s a lot of stuff that you have to do to maneuver the boats, and there’s just a lot to worry about, so a lot of the last two weeks has been focused on that.”
Though its impressive props and elaborate costumes merit praise, the play’s most remarkable feature is its explicit social commentary. The play’s director, Robert Richards described, “Early on in the casting section of the play, the playwright says that parts are not to be played by white cisgender men. Essentially, they should be played by people who identify as female. I found that interesting and important. The playwright is expressing a creative social commentary.”
Thornton agreed, “What I like about it is that it’s an all female cast playing all male characters. So there’s a bit of satire, some comedy, and some social commentary involved.”
Prep Jillian Cheng described the experience of portraying a male character. “I love the show because it gives all the actors a chance to step out of our comfort zone. We’re not used to being super masculine or carrying boats left and right or rushing rapids. But the show lets us imagine what it might’ve been like.”
Murray further described the play’s jab at gender norms. “It’s silly and maybe trite, but it’s fun and it’s just a really cool idea. Cross-dressing gender is really fun and just interesting and brings a new thing for you to become not embarrassed about doing. I remember Mr. Richards talking about it when I was a lower. He was so excited two years ahead of us doing it. It’s just a great script. I really love it.”
The play centers around a dangerous adventure through the Colorado River. “They’re going down through rapids and waterfalls, and they have no idea what’s ahead. It’s slightly ludicrous, but also a wonderful metaphor,” Richards said.
Both shows captivated audiences with passionate student performances, refreshing musical numbers, and elaborate props, reminding audiences of the beauty of theater’s complexity. “There are so many things [that are at play] when you’re writing musical theater — when you’re writing for any sort of theater,” offered J. Walker. “You can really think that it makes sense in your head and come up with all these ideas and jokes and the things that you think are gonna be funny and resonant and that you think that people will love, but you don’t know for sure until you actually see it done and hear how people react.”
Richards echoed this idea. “You have to sit with a play for a while and reread it and reread it, ‘cause you really do have to get to know it. You want to avoid seeing other images or productions of it, so that the images in your own imagination can come to you as you read it and visualize it, ‘cause a play is meant to be, as we say, brought to life.” He expanded, “Ultimately all those words on the page become the voices of characters, and the characters have to come to life. And so [a show really] is kind of a living thing.”
